Little Gems
by Clever Ink Slinger
Summary: This is a little collection of drabbles and oneshots written for the Gemstone Competition on the HPFC forum. There will be different characters involved in each individual story, so I'll be adding more to the lists of characters as I go.
1. Plucking Up Courage

**Title: **Plucking Up Courage  
**Category:** Books - Harry Potter  
**Challenge(s):** The Gemstone Competition by rosesbymidnight of the HPFC forum.  
**Prompt(s): **Rose Quarts - Write about Rose Weasley.  
**Length:** Oneshot – 1,168 words!  
**Rating:** Teen for language.  
**Pairing or Characters:** Hugo, Scorpius, Rose. Also mentions of Albus, Lorcan, and Lysander.  
**Thanks:** To my amazing beta Kyla, who always remind me to paint a picture with my words, not just tell a story. Thank you Kyla!  
**Disclaimer:** Though it pains me to say so, I do not own the rights to anything that belongs to the Harry Potter universe, nor do I make any money from writing about them. The only thing(s) that I can claim as mine own are the ideas and/or characters created by me that may be woven into the wonderful world of all that is Harry Potter. Everything else is used in the spirit of good-natured fun or naughty shenanigans. What can I say? I just like to play!

* * *

**Plucking Up Courage**

"You know, it's pretty obvious that you have some huge crush on my sister," Hugo Weasley stated dryly as he dropped his bag on the Slytherin table and plopped heavily onto the bench beside his best friend, Scorpius Malfoy.

Scorpius threw a mercury glare in Hugo's direction. Scowling he ground out, "Who says I have a crush on your sister, Weasley?"

Hugo rolled his eyes and snorted at his friend's prickly response, "Well, it's only obvious Malfoy. You're always watching everything that Rose does, like some lost puppy dog. Frankly, I don't know what is so great about her. She can be a right pain in the arse when she wants to be."

"Siblings are always a pain in the arse," Scorpius stated flatly, turning his gaze back to where Rose was studying with a gang of her cousins.

"How would you know? You're an only child, pretty boy." Hugo declared as he grabbed a goblet of pumpkin juice from the table and took a big gulp.

"Stuff it Weasley, it is common knowledge that siblings are a nuisance" Scorpius said. After a moment's pause he added, "I don't really watch your sister like a lost puppy, do I?"

Hugo shrugged, "Well, maybe not a lost puppy. But, you definitely keep an eye on her whenever she's around, mate."

Scorpius winced at Hugo's honesty. A sudden thought struck him. Glancing at Hugo he asked, "Do you think Rose has noticed?"

"I dunno, mate. She hasn't mentioned anything to me about it. But, she is sure to catch on. It's not like you're trying to hide it or anything." Hugo said, smirking.

"Oh shut it, Weasley." Scorpius bit out.

"Why don't you just tell Rose that you fancy her? It's not like she's going to have a laugh at you for telling her. She's not that sort of girl. Besides, if you don't mention it soon, it might be too late. From what I hear, Lorcan has an eye on her as well."

Scorpius scowled once more, "Lorcan? Isn't he that weird Ravenclaw bloke?"

"Uh-huh, that's the one. His brother Lysander is a good friend of Albus' and last week while we were playing quidditch, Ly told Albus that Lorcan was planning on taking Rose to the Halloween masquerade this year." Hugo quirked an eyebrow at his pale haired friend. "Didn't I mention it when we ran into each other in the Great Hall that day?"

Scorpius' scowl deepened and Hugo knew that if looks could kill we would deader than dead right where he sat. He fought a smile when Scorpius grumbled, "No Weasley, it must have slipped your bloody mind."

Scorpius suddenly pushed away from the table with a sense of purpose in his silvery eyes. Hugo had a fair idea of what Scorp was planning, but he still asked, "Where are you off too?"

"To talk to your sister," Scorpius answered in a manner that suggested Hugo was a simpleton.

"Go get her, tiger." Hugo teased, completely unaffected by Scorpius' tone.

Scorpius drew himself up to his full height and walked with determination to the Gryffindor table where Rose sat jotting down notes for homework. As he drew nearer to the table, his nerves began to kick in. If Hugo hadn't been burning holes into the back of his head, he might have changed course toward the Entrance Hall. Scorpius mentally scolded himself for even thinking about it. _You're a perfectly respectable wizard, Malfoy. You come from a decent family and you've got no reason not to simply ask Rose if she wants to accompany you to the masquerade. Besides, if you don't ask her, that prat Lorcan will. Then where will you be? Watching somebody else dance with the girl of your dreams, that's where._

With that thought in mind, Scorpius sat down in a vacant spot beside Rose and spoke softly enough that only she could hear, "Rose, I...I...erm...well...that is if you want to...erm...I was wondering if you might accompany me to the masquerade next week?"

Rose turned surprised cerulean eyes on him as he stammered out the request. It was apparent that she hadn't been expecting that out of him. She smiled shyly as she brushed a lock of red hair behind her ear, "Really? You want me to go with you to the Halloween masquerade?"

Scorpius nodded with a small smirk playing across his handsome face, "I wouldn't have asked you if I didn't want you to come with me, Rosie."

Smiling with a rosy blush on her cheeks, Rosie said, "Alright, I'll go with you. But, only if you're asking me because you want too, not because Hugo put you up to it."

"I can assure you, Hugo had nothing to do with me asking you. If you don't believe me, ask him," Scorpius said.

Rosie simply shook her head and grinned, "I believe you. Alright, well I suppose I'll see you then. I'll be the girl with the mask."

Scorpius flashed a charming smile at her before standing up once more. "Alright then, I'll meet you outside of the Great Hall."

A confident smirk played across his pale features as he made his way back over to Hugo. It wasn't until Scorpius was nearly to the Slytherin table when he thought about what she said. _'I'll be the girl with the mask.'_ That was what she had said to him. Everybody was going to be in a bloody mask!

Scorpius dropped onto the bench beside Hugo with a frown. The fiery haired boy took in the expression on his face as said, "I take it that it didn't go very well?"

"No, it went fine, Weasley. Rose said that she'd go to the masquerade with me, but she didn't tell me what she was going as. All she said was, 'I'll be the girl with the mask.'"

Hugo burst out laughing. It sounded just like something that Rose would say. Still chuckling he said, "I'll try to find out what she's planning on wearing."

"Thanks for that, mate. Now you can tell that wanker Lorcan that he can ask somebody else to be his date," Scorpius stated with an arrogant smirk.

"Why would I need to do that?" Hugo asked innocently.

"Because you said that he was..." then a sudden thought struck him. Grinding his teeth, Scorpius said, "Lorcan wasn't even going to ask your sister to be his date, was he?"

Hugo stood up with a cheeky grin on his face, "Nope, he was planning on asking Roxanne. But look at it this way mate, at least you plucked up the courage to ask her out. Really, you should be thanking me for helping you."

"Weasley, I'm giving you to the count of three to get lost before I stand up and punch you square in the nose," Scorpius threatened darkly as he drummed his fingers on the tabletop.

Hugo just chuckled at his angry friend, grabbed his book bag, and made a hasty retreat to the Gryffindor table.


	2. Baby Makes Three

**Title:** Baby Makes Three  
**Category:** Books - Harry Potter  
**Challenge(s):** The Gemstone Competition by rosesbymidnight of the HPFC forum.  
**Prompt(s):** Amethyst – Write about Tonks!  
**Length:** Oneshot – 1,264 words!  
**Rating:** K  
**Pairing or Characters:** Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin, Remus Lupin, and Teddy Lupin  
**Thanks:** To my amazing beta Kyla, who always remind me to paint a picture with my words, not just tell a story. Thank you Kyla!  
**Disclaimer:** Though it pains me to say so, I do not own the rights to anything that belongs to the Harry Potter universe, nor do I make any money from writing about them. The only thing(s) that I can claim as mine own are the ideas and/or characters created by me that may be woven into the wonderful world of all that is Harry Potter. Everything else is used in the spirit of good-natured fun or naughty shenanigans. What can I say? I just like to play!

* * *

**Baby Makes Three**

A soft maternal sigh escaped from between Tonks' lips as she looked down at the newborn snuggled against her bosom, unconditional love shining through her umber eyes. Teddy, the precious result of the love she shared with Remus, lay sleeping peacefully in her protective arms. A gently smile painted her face as she watched his tiny hand wrap around her thumb, "Look, Remus. Teddy was only born a few hours ago and already he possesses so much strength. Just look at the way he holds onto me, so tightly."

Nymphadora's gaze swept up to reveal the adoration welling up within. Remus couldn't help but beam down into his wife's glowing face. She was so beautiful lying there with little Teddy. He carefully reached out and stroked the downy-soft head peeking out of the swaddling blanket, and murmured, "Strength does not come from physical capacity, my love. It comes from an indomitable will. With a remarkably strong mother, he is bound to be the epitome of strength."

"Oh Remus, you flatter me. But, he doesn't get it from me, darling. Having a wonderfully strong father like you is what makes our boy so strong." Nymphadora stretched out an arm and took hold of her husband's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Remus was about to respond when a minute cry interrupted. Teddy had woken from his nap while they spoke. Small arms flailing, the baby screwed up his face and began to wail in honest. Chuckling softly, Remus said, "Well, I don't think our boy cares where the strength comes from. I think he's just hungry and wants to be fed."

Tonks nodded her head in agreement and she soothed the crying bundle in her arms. With one clumsy hand, she fumbled with the little snaps on the shoulder of the hospital gown. Remus watched her struggle with the snaps, become more frustrated by the moment as Teddy's cries grew frantic.

"Here love, let me." Remus brushed her hand aside and unbuttoned the little silver snaps.

"Thanks you," Tonks breathed in relief.

Teddy latched onto her breast a bit awkwardly at first, but then found a hard tug and rest rhythm. Every few sucks Teddy took, he would take a short break and sigh with contentment. Remus watched the tender exchange between mother and baby silently, adoration seeping through his green-grey eyes.

A medi-witch midwife came into the hospital room as Teddy was finishing up, checking that everything was going accordingly. When the young witch saw that Teddy was fed and content, she said, "Well Mummy, it would seem that your motherly instinct has kicked in. You have done a wonderful job getting your wee one eating. Some mothers have quite a bit of trouble getting their babies to latch on. You'll need to burp him now."

Tonks looked at the midwife with wide, uncertain eyes, "Burp him? How do I do that?"

"Don't worry, dear. It's easier than you think. First you place one of these burp cloths over your shoulder, like this." The young woman plucked a cloth from a basket sitting on the table beside the bed. Unfolding it, she placed the cloth across Tonk's shoulder. "Now, you place the baby against your shoulder and pat his back."

The young mother did as instructed and began patting her baby, "Am I doing this right?"

"You sure are," the midwife said with a reassuring smile. She patted Tonks' arm, nodded to Remus, and said, "Now that you have this under control, I'll leave you be. Let me know if you need assistance with anything else. He'll probably need a nappy change soon."

As if on cue a wet, impossibly loud, rumbling sound came from Teddy's diaper. Remus crossed his arms over his chest and pinched the bridge of his nose. Tonks could only stare at her son in surprised as she said, "Erm…do you think you can show us how to change his nappy? We haven't had to do it ourselves yet."

The midwife gave a chuckle and said, "Of course I can. Lay your little man down in front of you and unwrap his swaddling blanket." She turned to grab a disposable diaper from the same basket she had plucked the burp cloth out of minutes before. Turning back, the midwife handed the tiny nappy to Tonks and showed her which direction to put it on.

After a few moments of struggling with the sticky tabs and being peed on in the process, Tonks was finally able to get Teddy securely fitted in his nappy and wrapped up in his fuzzy blanket. Looking at the mess her son had made, Tonks said, "That was one of the most difficult things that I've ever had to do."

The midwife chuckled and said, "I think you've got everything under control now. Changing him will be easier once you get used to doing it. Soon you will be able to do a ten second nappy change without even paying attention. Anyway, I'll leave you to it. Do let me know if there is anything else you need Mr and Mrs Lupin."

Remus watched the midwife leave before turning his attention back to his family, "I would have never believed that a newborn baby could make such a mess. Look at the state of your gown. Here, let me hold Teddy so you can get cleaned up."

Tonks was reluctant to let Teddy go, but in the end, she realized that Remus had yet to hold his own son. With cheeks that burned scarlet, Tonks said, "Oh Remus, I'm so sorry. I've been so stingy. Teddy is already two hours old and you haven't been able to hold him, not once."

She held the little bundle up so that Remus could take the baby from her. Tears welled up in his eyes as they swept over Teddy's face and Tonks had to fight back a sob as emotions flooded through her. Remus had been so worried that having a baby was the wrong thing to do. He doubted his ability to be a good father and he was worried their son would suffer, as he did, with the curse of the full moon. Nine, very long, month had passed by with more heartache than anticipation, and now Remus was here, holding Teddy with so much love, pride, and happiness shining through his eyes.

"Isn't he incredible?" Remus asked in awe.

"Yes, he is. He is the most remarkable baby in the world," Tonks agreed as she changed her soiled gown.

"Love, he's even more amazing than you think. Look at this!" Remus said as he strode toward her.

Tonks hurried forward to see what Remus was talking about. When she laid eyes on Teddy, she gasped and said, "He's like me, Remus. Teddy is a metamorphmagus."

Teddy lay blinking up at his parents with the same dark, innocent eyes he had at birth. His hair, on the other hand, was now a brilliant shade of shamrock green, instead of the pale brown curls he was born with.

Shocked, Remus said, "Perhaps since he has taken after you, he won't be lunarly challenged like me."

Tonks simply shook her head and said, "Even if he is…lunarly challenged…we'll see that it doesn't stop him from be a good person, Remus. You just wait and see. Our little boy will grow up to be a fine young man, no matter what he might be challenged with."

With that, Tonks leaned up to kiss Remus on the cheek before turn back to run thin fingers through her son's emerald curls.


	3. Bridal Shop Labyrinth

**Title: **Bridal Shop Labyrinth  
**Category:** Books - Harry Potter  
**Challenge(s):** The Gemstone Competition by rosesbymidnight of the HPFC forum.  
**Prompt(s):** Garnet – Write about Lily Evans!  
**Length:** Oneshot – 2,089 words!  
**Rating:** K  
**Pairing or Characters:** Lily Evans, Sirius Black, and Marlene McKinnon.  
**Thanks:** To my amazing beta Kyla, who always remind me to paint a picture with my words, not just tell a story. Thank you Kyla!  
**Disclaimer:** Though it pains me to say so, I do not own the rights to anything that belongs to the Harry Potter universe, nor do I make any money from writing about them. The only thing(s) that I can claim as mine own are the ideas and/or characters created by me that may be woven into the wonderful world of all that is Harry Potter. Everything else is used in the spirit of good-natured fun or naughty shenanigans. What can I say? I just like to play!

* * *

**Bridal Shop Labyrinth**

Everywhere Lily looked there were racks of hanging white dresses. Some were frilly with layer after layer of satin, while others had long skirts made of billowing chiffon. There were floor length dresses and dresses that looked more like oversized silk shirts. Seeing all of them hanging there in the masses, with their beads, sequins, and glittering rhinestones, made her breakfast churn in her stomach. She didn't do girly things like wear dresses with elaborate designs. That was the sort of thing that Petunia delighted in. Lily thought it was a complete nightmare.

Lily was frowning at a particularly lacy number when a sales-witch approached her. With a flashy smile, the young woman said, "Good afternoon. My name is Isobel and I'm the lead floor assistant, is there anything that I can help you with?"

"Erm…well…I'm getting married in a few months. So…umm…I'm trying to find a dress for the big day." Lily said, turning perplexed emerald green eyes on the sales-witch.

"Not a problem. Do you have any idea what sort of dress you're looking for today?" Isobel asked, lifting a perfectly manicured brow.

Lily shook her head, "I have no idea. I'm not even sure where I should begin. Planning my wedding hasn't really been a priority until now."

Disbelief momentarily crossed the brunette's face, as if Lily was the only person she had ever met who hadn't dreamed of their wedding day. The thought gave Lily a sinking feeling, and she began worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. She knew that many women fussed over their wedding days. Petunia had been planning her own since they were children. However, Lily wasn't like her sister. She was too busy learning how to do magic and focusing on her studies to worry about a stupid dress that she would only wear for one day out of her entire life.

"That's not a problem," Isobel assured Lily. Her face was composed once more and she was giving Lily another one of her dazzling smiles. "Do you know which silhouette you prefer? Do you like A-line, ball gown, empire, short?"

"Erm…," was all that Lily could say, feeling daft for not knowing what the sales-witch was talking about.

Just as the woman was about to continue, Lily caught sight of her friend Marlene McKinnon rushing toward them. Marlene waved in greeting and called, "Oh my gosh, Lily! I'm so sorry that I'm late!"

Lily waved back at her longtime friend before turning back to Isobel, "You know what, thank you. But, I think I have this under control. This woman right here is more than capable of helping me decide which dress to pick out."

"Not a problem. Just let me know if you need anything at all." Isobel said. She bent her head in a graceful bow and then walking away.

Marlene waited until the woman was out of earshot before gushing, "Lily, I'm so, so sorry! I know that I was supposed to be here a half an hour ago. But, Sirius got us lost. Honestly, I don't understand how he could have flown that stupid motorbike twenty minutes in the opposite direction before realizing it."

Lily laughed at her blond friend, "At least Sirius was able to drop you off."

"We'll I'm not totally incompetent, Lily. Nor am I a taxi service for pretty young women," Sirius said with a smirk as he drifted toward them. When he was next to Marlene, he murmured to her, "Though, my sweet, I'll be expecting some form of payment later this evening."

Marlene blushed a shade of red that could have given Lily's hair a run for its money. She swatted at him and said, "Don't say things like that where other people can hear you, Sirius!"

"But Sweetling, I'm in love with you. Not to mention the very sight of that voluptuous body of yours drives me mad. Why shouldn't I express how I feel?" Sirius gave them both a look of mock outrage.

"Because, it makes you sound like a pig," Lily said matter-of-factly. She gave him a sympathetic smile that said she understood that he just couldn't help himself.

Sirius gave them both a dashing smile and said, "Oink, oink."

Lily rolled her eyes at his response. It was so like him. She looped her arm through Marlene's and began stroll through the aisles of white dresses. Over her shoulder she said, "Not that I'm not glad to see you, because you know that I am, but what are you doing here, Sirius? This is supposed to be a girls outing."

"He thought you might want a man's opinion," Marlene stated. She rolled her forget-me-not blue eyes and said, "Because Sirius is a professional when it comes to women in dresses."

"And getting them out of said dresses," Sirius said with an arrogant smirk. The girls threw matching scowls in his direction causing him to chuckle.

"You're incorrigible," Lily declared before moving off into the jungle of wedding gowns.

"And yet you both love me," Sirius countered as he trailed after them.

Marlene and Lily just ignored the cheeky retort and began discussing dresses. "Lily, I know that you're not really a dress person, but have you thought about the sort of dress you might want to wear?"

Lily shook her head, "No, I haven't a clue. I don't want something that is too ridiculous. I mean look at this thing," Lily pulled a dress out and pointed at the poufy skirts. "This skirt is almost longer than I am tall. On top of that, all of this material makes it feel a thousand pounds. How on earth am I supposed to walk in something like this?"

A giggle escaped from Marlene's parted lips. Shaking her head, the petite blond put the dress back on the rack and moved toward a stand of A-line dresses. "You don't have to wear a ball gown like that one. Look, these are the more traditional wedding dresses. They sweep to the floor, but they aren't overelaborated."

The redhead nodded in understanding. Lily fingered the hangers as she looked over each dress. Some had lovely designs embroidered into them with silver thread. Others had pretty beaded patterns stitched into the soft material. Though they were beautiful, none of them caught her interest. Sighing she said, "Marlene, these are great. But, I just don't think I can wear something like this. They are just too long, and I don't want to even think about putting on one of those short things. If only we could find something that only went up to the knee."

"Now Lily, do you think that'll really be fair for James? I mean, think about it. If you're walking around flaunting those legs of yours, James is going to find it mighty difficult to behave himself." Sirius said as he ran a finger over the beaded bodice of a gown that Marlene had pulled out for inspection.

"Hush," Marlene scolded. "James isn't as bad as you are. We won't have to worry about him trying to sneak off for a bit of fun during their reception. James happens to know how to behave in public."

"Are you implying that I don't?" Sirius said, a look of faux offense played on his handsome face.

"Do I even need to humor you with a response to that?" Marlene asked with a lifted brow. When he grinned at her, she tossed her head of pale curls and looked at Lily. "C'mon Lil, let's go look and see if we can find a dress that fits what you're looking for."

Together the ladies went off in search of a respectable, short length dress. Sirius just signed and began roaming in the opposite direction. As he wandered along, he began glancing through the racks himself, plucking dresses off as he found ones that might work, and hung them on one arm. By the time he was finished his arm was lost beneath a collection of hangers. As he browsed, Sirius made his way back towards the girls. They were gabbing over a frilly dress that was far too short. Lily didn't think it was appropriate and Marlene thought it could be altered to a respectable length.

Sirius just shook his head at the sounds of them chattering back and forth. Without warning, he slid an arm around Lily's waist and a guided her to the changing area. Pushing back the curtain, he urged her through the intricate archway and began hanging up the array of dressed. "Here, I think that any one of these might be what you're looking for. Try them on and see if one of them stands out."

Lily found herself trying on so many dresses that she lost count. They were all lovely, really they were, but not a single one of them seemed to catch her attention. Time seemed to pass by slower than treacle and Lily felt as if she had tried on every single dress in the bloody store, parading around for her friends to critique whatever she was wearing. She was so frustrated by the time-consuming processes that she told Marlene and Sirius that she wasn't going to try on another wedding dress, even if her life depended on it. If she never had to see another white dress for the rest of her life, it would be too soon. It wasn't until Sirius stuck one last dress through the dressing room curtain that Lily felt a spark of hope ignite within her heart.

The dress was gorgeous, elegant and modest. Unlike most of the bridal gowns that she'd tried on, this one looked and felt right. It was a strapless number that fitted her perfectly. The bodice hugged her snuggly around her chest and waist, showing off the natural curves of her body. Stitched into the material were detailed designs of flowers and butterflies. Lily had never seen anything as beautiful, and she took pleasure in running a single finger along the stitch work. The skirts were made of layer after layer of satin and tulle, and they too had the lovely flowers and butterflies.

Lily stood looking at herself in the floor length mirror of the changing room and had to fight the tears welling up within her emerald eyes. This was the dress that she would be marrying the man of her dreams in. She had finally found it. Lily gave a dainty sniff and wiped the stray tears that managed to escape. Composing herself, she pulled back the ivory velvet curtain and stepped out before her friend.

Both Sirius and Marlene were speechless when their eyes swept over her. Marlene crossed her hands over her heart and simply nodded at her. Sirius on the other hand stared at her, open mouthed, as he approached. Taking her hands in his, he said, "Lily, you're breathtaking. This dress was meant for you."

"Really," she asked uncertainly. Still holding his hand, she spun around slowly and said, "This doesn't make my butt look big or anything?"

Sirius snorted, "Not at all. As the matter of fact, are you sure you even have a butt under there? That skirt makes it impossible to see. James might not like that. He's often times telling us what a delightful derrière you have."

Lily couldn't suppress the laugh that erupted from her. Shaking her head she said, "Like I said, incorrigible. Marlene, what do you think?"

"Oh Lil, you look stunning. How do feel while wearing it?" Marlene stood up and walked around her, inspecting the wonderful details.

"I feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. The dress fits well and its light weight. I think I have to buy this one." Lily nodded at her friends. "Thank you for all of your help. I couldn't have done it without you."

"We're always here to help you." Sirius gave Lily a tight hug. "Now, go and get changed. We'll buy your dress and then head over to your house to see what James and Remus are up too."

Lily rolled her eyes at him, "We can't leave yet. We still have to find a dress for Marlene. She is my bridesmaid after all."

As Lily walked back into the change room, Sirius groaned, "Oh for Merlinsake, we've been at this for hours."

"Well, you chose to be here, Mister Dress Expert." Marlene murmured.

"Now listen here woman…"

Lily smile at her friends banter as she closed the curtain and looked at herself once more in the mirror. For once, she was happy to see the beautiful, feminine side of herself shine back.


End file.
